1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method of gerotor repair for vehicles and a kit for same.
2) Background
A gerotor is a positive displacement pump. The name gerotor is derived from “Generated Rotor” and consists of an inner and outer rotor. The inner rotor has N teeth, and the outer rotor has N+1 teeth. The inner rotor is located off-center and both rotors rotate. The geometry of the two rotors partitions the volume between them into N different dynamically-changing volumes. During the assembly's rotation cycle, each of these volumes changes continuously, so any given volume first increases, and then decreases. An increase creates a vacuum. This vacuum creates suction, and hence, this part of the cycle is where the intake is located. As volume decreases compression occurs. During this compression period, fluids can be pumped, or compressed (if they are gaseous fluids).
Gerotor pumps are generally designed using a trochoidal inner rotor and an outer rotor formed by a circle with intersecting circular arcs. A gerotor can also function as a pistonless rotary engine. For instance, high pressure gas enters the intake area and pushes against the inner and outer rotors, causing both to rotate as the area between the inner and outer rotor increases. During the compression period, the exhaust is pumped out.
Although gerotors come in a variety of geometric configurations, materials, and sizes, all gerotors share the basic principle of having conjungately-generated tooth profiles which provide continuous fluid-tight sealing during operation. As the rotors rotate about their respective axes, fluid is drawn into the enlarging chamber to a maximum volume. As rotation continues, chamber volume decreases, forcing fluid out of the chamber. The process occurs constantly for each chamber, providing a smooth pumping action.
Gerotor pumps are suitable for applications as sophisticated as electronically controlled fuel pumps and as simple as low pressure oil transfer pumps and as mechanically demanding as high pressure hydraulic motors. Gerotors also typically have a lower installed cost, consume less power, use less space and have more application flexibility than virtually all other pump/motor mechanisms.
One significant feature necessary for a gerotor style pump to function is that there must be smooth surfaces on both the top and bottom of the pump. If the surface the gerotor pump contacts is not smooth, the fluid in the pump, for instance oil, will bypass from the high pressure side to the low pressure side. Without smooth surfaces, a proper seal will not form and engine efficiency and output suffers.
In vehicles such as trucks, the gerotor pump contacts the front engine cover and the gerotor pump cover plate. Because of these contacts, during use and normal wear, or because of abrasive materials being circulated in the oil system, scratches and grooves may form on these mating surfaces. If these scratches or grooves become too deep, the gerotor pump will not build adequate pressure for the system to operate. In this case, a typical repair requires the gerotor and at least a portion of the front of the engine to be dismantled to effectuate repairs in order to allow the gerotor to once again form a sound seal. This repair is both labor and time intensive. Moreover, part shortages, or discontinued gerotor models, may also slow the repair process.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an improved repair method and repair kit for gerotor pumps that have become damaged or worn in order to allow the pump to create a sound seal once more.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can meet certain other objectives. Each objective may not apply equally, in all its respects, to every aspect of this invention. As such, the preceding objects can be viewed in the alternative with respect to any one aspect of this invention. These and other objects and features of the invention will become more fully apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying figures and examples. However, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are of a preferred embodiment and not restrictive of the invention or other alternate embodiments of the invention. In particular, while the invention is described herein with reference to a number of specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that the description is illustrative of the invention and is not constructed as limiting of the invention. Various modifications and applications may occur to those who are skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as described by the appended claims. Likewise, other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from this summary and certain embodiments described below, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages will be apparent from the above in conjunction with the accompanying examples, data, figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom, alone or with consideration of the references incorporated herein.